The present invention relates generally to a device for enveloping an x-ray cassette and more specifically to a sleeve for an x-ray cassette cover that is both disposable to prevent the spread of germs and cushioned for comfort.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that x-ray cartridges are one of the few medical devices which are reused. It will further be appreciated by those skilled in the art that x-rays can be very impersonal and very uncomfortable to the patient. X-ray cassettes used in portable radiography and tabletop radiography are cold and hard. Often times, infants and small children must be placed on the x-ray cassette, thereby making the patient less cooperative and less comfortable. To this end, there have been several attempts to provide a more comfortable x-ray platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,780, issued to G. Ruiz on Aug. 7, 1984, discloses a pediatric restraint for x-ray photography. Although this device does provide a cushion upon which the patient can sit, the device does not provide a cushion proximate to the x-ray cartridge. Ruiz is also very complex, thereby making it difficult for disposability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,719, issued to W. Gabriele et al. on Jun. 21, 1977, discloses a child immobilizing device for x-rays. This complex bed platform contains a recess into which the infant is placed. The child or infant is then strapped into the platform, thereby making the patient very uncomfortable. The complexity of the invention makes it difficult for disposability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,525, issued to J. Daniels on Jan. 10, 1978, discloses a premature infant immobilizer and holding assembly for the nursery and radiological exposure. The Daniels invention has the same problems of the Gabriele et al. INVENTION which make it uncomfortable and economically impossible for disposal.
What is needed, then, is a cover for an x-ray cassette which is disposable, to prevent the spread of germs from patient to patient. This needed x-ray cassette cover must be simple and inexpensive to manufacture. This needed x-ray cassette cover must be comfortable by being both soft and warm. This needed cassette cover must be less traumatic for the patient to lie upon. This cover is presently lacking in the prior art.